Evolution Design Methodology of the Metamorphic Mechanisms Inspired by Gene Deduction

Abstract This article proposes an evolutionary design method for metamorphic mechanisms inspired by gene deduction. First, the correlations between biological evolution and mechanical evolution, biological systems and mechanical systems, and genes and mechanisms are revealed. There are many similarities between biology and mechanism. Biological principles can be applied to the study and design of the mechanisms to adapt well to tasks and environments. The correlation between genetic operation and mechanical design is developed. The selection operator, recombination operator, and mutation operator of the mechanisms are deduced by inspiring genes. To verify the rationality of these operators, they are used to construct 5R (revolute joints) overconstrained closed-loop linkage, 6R metamorphic closed-loop linkage, 7R deployable closed-loop linkage, and 2RP (prismatic joint) RR metamorphic parallel mechanism (MPM). The mobilities of these mechanisms are analyzed via the atlas method. Finally, the evolutionary design method of MPMs is introduced and used to design the mechanisms with 2R1T (two rotation one translation) and 1R2T modes, which verify the effectiveness of the method. The proposed evolutionary design method provides a new theoretical tool for the design of metamorphic single-loop and parallel mechanisms.